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Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Home Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Forecast Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Extratropics

 

  Tropical Highlights

  Table of Atmospheric Indices  (Table 1)

  Table of Oceanic Indices  (Table 2)

  Time Series

  Time-Longitude Sections

  Mean & Anomaly Fields

  Appendix 1: Outside Contributions

Tropical Highlights

AUGUST 2012

The pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies

Tropical Highlights – August 2012

 

 

 ENSO-neutral conditions continued during August 2012. The sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies remained warmer-than-average across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific during the month (Fig. T18, Table T2). The latest monthly Niño indices were +0.7°C for the Niño 3.4 region and +0.4°C for the Niño 1+2 region (Table T2, Fig. T5). Consistent with these conditions, the depth of the oceanic thermocline (measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) remained near-average in the east-central equatorial Pacific and above-average in the eastern equatorial Pacific (Figs. T15, T16).

However, the equatorial low-level easterly trade winds remained slightly enhanced over the west-central equatorial Pacific and slightly weaker than average across the east-central equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Fig. T20). This pattern does not reflect a clear atmospheric response to the positive SST anomalies. Enhanced convection was seen across Indonesia (Figs. T25, E3), which is further indication that the atmospheric circulation is not yet reflecting El Niño. Collectively, these oceanic and atmospheric anomalies reflect ENSO-neutral conditions.

 

 

For the latest status of the ENSO cycle see the ENSO Diagnostic Discussion at: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/index.html


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Page Last Modified: September 2012
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